Purdon takes Akuta to Hannon Memorial win
STAR 3yrold Akuta unleashed speed and power to take a big step towards the New Zealand Cup with victory in the Hannon Memorial yesterday.
The pacer gave trainerdriver Mark Purdon a huge reason continue forward with his New Zealand Cup nomination with a narrow but emphatic win over his rivals in the Oamaru feature.
Usually a winner by much bigger margins, Akuta showed fighting qualities that could come in very handy at the business end of the hardfought New Zealand
Cup in his win by a nose over a game Alta Wiseguy.
‘‘The other horse had the perfect run and he was always going to be tough to beat, but I really admire this guy’s tenacity and the way he stuck to it,’’ Purdon said.
Amid his brilliant victory, sitting outside older rivals before beating them, Akuta stepped away cleanly in his standing start debut.
And that only strengthens the early hopes that the 3yrold will be seen in November’s New Zealand Cup.
‘‘I was happy with him, the main thing was that he was safe and he made a good beginning,’’ Purdon said.
In frightening news for owners of 3yrolds in the South Island, Purdon will not immediately aim Akuta at another New Zealand Cup leadup race.
The trainer instead has his eye on the Lazarus Stakes, named after his former twotime New Zealand Cup champion.
However, races like the Ashburton Flying Stakes and the Kaikoura Cup remain on the Akuta’s agenda.
‘‘There is a 3yrold race for him coming up at the end of the month, so we will go that way if it goes ahead.’’
‘‘There are other races like Ashburton and Kaikoura that we have options on.’’
Alta Wiseguy again boosted his New Zealand Cup credentials, running a very creditable second to Akuta following his recent New Brighton Cup win.
The Steve and Amanda Telfertrained pacer made ground on Akuta when speeding along the inner, coming up a nose short at the line.
Pembrook Playboy, who was fresh up on the back of two soft trials, fought on for third after leading throughout.
Purdon effectively turned the Hannon Memorial meeting into a oneman show, winning three of four feature races.
He and training partner Hayden Cullen produced Queen Of
Diamonds for a Nevele R Fillies Series heat win, while Purdon also drove I Dream Of Jeanie to victory in the inaugural running of the Jasmyn’s Gift Stakes.
The remaining feature victory went to the Cran and Chrissie Dalgety stable with Watermelon
Sugar in the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes, which returned after a 25year hiatus.
The last winner of the race in 1997, Hilarious Heather, was prepared by the trainers’ father and fatherinlaw, the late Jim Dalgety.